[Goblin]Gi Ga
The goblin in that estranged group that was with the protagonist when he defeated an orc. He is currently a noble class, the highest amongst the protagonist’s subordinates. He prefers to use the spear.

[Goblin] Gi Gu
The former leader of the village. He was pressured by the protagonist in his goblin noble form, and was added to his subordinates. He uses the long sword, and is relatively smart for a goblin rare. Became a goblin noble in chapter 39.

[Goblin] Gi Gi
Known as a beast warrior, a goblin with the ability to tame beasts.
He evolved while hunting spear deer with the protagonist.
He prefers to use the axe. His goblin class is rare.

[Goblin] Gi Go
A goblin with many wounds on his body. The food of his horde was stolen by the gray wolves, so he made a decision to follow the protagonist. He is the most experienced amongst the goblin rares. His weapon is a curved katana. He acts like a samurai.

Recently became a noble, and received the divine protection of the Sword God, Ra Baruza.

[Goblin] Gi Za
The druid goblin rare that recently joined them.

[Goblin] Gi Ji
A goblin rare. He evolved in chapter 37 after hunting with Gi Ga. He has the <> skill which makes him great for scouting.

[Goblin] Gi Do
Druid. Uses wind magic.

[Goblin] Gi Jii
Goblin Rare. From Gi Gu’s Faction. He is known for his <> which allows him to see his opponent’s weakness.

Humans

Reshia Fel Zeal (17 years-old)
The priestess known as the saint. As the Healing Goddess’ follower, she lives to spread the word and teach righteousness. She has the divine protection of the goddess, and can heal others.

Lili (21 years-old)
She studied the famous sword style, Zweil Style, in the capital. She has sworn fealty to Reshia. And while she may have lost to the protagonist in one hit, she has proven herself strong enough to easily defeat three normal goblins.

Mattis (26 years-old)
The second son of a farmer. He’s largely responsible for drying the meat to preserve them.

Chinos (24 years-old)
The third son of a farmer. He plows the fields and is close to Mattis.

Keifel (28 years-old)
An adventurer who took on a request to escort Reshia through the Forest of Darkness. He’s strong enough that he could easily wield a steel great sword, but the protagonist still managed to kill him.

Zeon (32 years-old)
A follower of Ativ. He specializes in fire magic. In his battle against the protagonist, he used his fire magic, but still lost. In the end, he tried to blow himself up along with the protagonist, but the protagonist’s words agitated him, causing him to lose the opportunity.

Tinra (23 years-old)
A villager. She is one of the women used by the goblins as a breeding machine that the protagonist killed.

Ashtal Do Germion (59 years-old)
The king that rules the western region of the continent in which the Forest of Darkness and the connecting borders are included. He is a powerful ruler with seven holy knights under him. He has recently ordered three of those holy knights to search for the saint.

Gowen Ranid (45 years-old)
The feudal lord that rules over the region next to the Forest of Darkness. As one of the country’s strongest powers, he is renowned as the Iron-Armed Knight. He is currently leading his soldiers in a quest to find the saint.

Gulland Rifenin (31 years-old)
A former adventurer. As one of the country’s strongest powers, he is renowned as the Storm Knight. He’d been stationed in the northern mountains, but the king called him back to send him off in a quest for the saint.

Gene Marlon (24 years-old)
As one of the country’s strongest powers, he is renowned as Lightning-Fast Knight. He was previously stationed at the south, but the king called him back to send him on a quest to search for the saint. Killing is his favorite past-time. Whether it’s a man, a demihuman or a monster, they’re all just pieces of meat to be cut down before him.

Herculean Wyatt (40 years-old)
A member of the Blood Oath of the Flying Swallow. He specializes in handling great shields. He has a gentle personality, but beware for his anger isn’t one to be taken lightly.

Mage Killer Mill (19 years-old)
A member of the Blood Oath of the Flying Swallow. She is an assassin that favors the use of talons. Renowned as the mage killer, she is a mage’s worst nightmare.

Wand of Destruction Bellan (37 years-old)
A member of the Blood Oath of the Flying Swallow. He wields a fire staff. As a former knight, he cares a great deal about honor.

Hawk-Eyed Fick (31 years-old)
An adventurer with two names. He has exceptional perception and skill. He is currently searching through the Forest of Darkness under Gulland’s lead.

The White Hand of Life (Previously translated as divine hands) (Age Unknown)
A priest robed in white. She specializes in healing and support. Her age, name, and origin are all unknown.

Vitz (25 years-old)
A talkative sword-wielding adventurer. He’s actual strength isn’t bad, but he’s still far from being deserving of a second name.

Yugil (26 years-old)
An adventurer and an unwilling shield bearer. He might appear old, but he is actually still young.

Yoshu (26 years-old)
The younger brother of the slaves Gene purchased. The collar of obedience around his neck keeps him from going against Gene’s orders. Healers are rare, so he’s been made into a shield bearer.

Shumea (28 years-old)
The older sister of the slaves Gene purchased. The collar of obedience around her neck keeps her from going against Gene’s orders. Contrast to her brother who bears a shield, she uses a spear.

Household of the Gods

Altesia.
The Goddess of the Underworld and the Goddess of Valor. As the goddess the snakes serve, she has given her blessing to the protagonist. She is a dangerous woman with her deep jealousy and fierce temperament.

Zenobia
The Goddess of Healing. She has given her blessing to Reshia. She has also warned the protagonist to protect her. Altesia might hate her, but she doesn’t feel the same way toward Altesia.

Pitch Black (Verid)
A one-eyed red-eyed snake that belongs to the Goddess of the Underworld.

Twin-Headed Snake
Known to the goblins as the Lord of Decay. He is one of the snakes that fought the world with the Goddess of the Underworld.

Others

Selena
The elven woman Gene purchased. She became a slave after running away from her tribe.

Hasu
A high kobold. She is one of the protagonist’s pets.
The protagonist managed to tame her by giving her orc corps and other meat as bait.
She is a fortuitous kobold who somehow managed to become the leader of her pack.

Cynthia
As the pup of the gray wolves, she has been given the elven name that means lady of the lake. Reshia, Lili, and other children and women are quite taken by her lovely fur.

Gastra
As the pup of the gray wolves, he has been given the name of a wise human monarch that means sovereign of the wind’s howls. His uninhibited personality leads him to battle Hasu for ranks on a daily basis.

Bui
A timid orc. Gol Gol had taken a liking for him despite his small body. After Gol Gol died, he led the orcs to the west, but the protagonist managed to capture them.

Gol Gol
The orc king that attacked the village. He is a berserker who can use skills. He was defeated by the protagonist.

Volume 2: Chapter 119 – Daizos

Status

Race

Goblin

Level

48

Class

King; Ruler

Possessed Skills

Ruler of the Demon Children of Chaos; Defiant Soul; World Devouring Howl; Sword Mastery A-; Dominator; King’s Soul; Ruler’s Wisdom III; Household of the Gods; One-Eyed Snake’s Evil Eye; The King's Dance at the Edge of Death; Magic Manipulation; Soul of the Berserk King; Third Impact (The Third Chant); Instinct; Blessing of the Underworld Goddess

For the first time, I experienced the difficulty of reconnaissance in a war between different races.

In a battle between humans or goblins, it is simple enough for one to slip into the crowd and appear like everyone else, but that’s not possible in a battle between two different races. After all, we look completely different from each other. It simply isn’t possible. Even the harpy scouts aren’t able to close in on the centaur village as their archers could easily shoot them down.

The mud-scaled tribe were already working as messengers between our group and the advance group consisting of the long-tailed tribe (rizalat) and the fang tribe (werewolves), so they weren’t an option.

As I watched the scene before me, I became thoughtful.

“Why are they closing themselves off here?”

Numerous tents had been put up in the middle of the meadows, around which were wooden sticks sticking out from the ground, probably meant for defense. Inside were centaurs wielding wooden shields reinforced with iron. This was the centaur village.

“Fighting on the meadows is supposed to be their specialty.”

I don’t understand. The forest isn’t even that far, it’s just about 500 meters away.

But even if they don’t want to run to the forest, they should be wanting a large area to exhibit their superior mobility. The greatest advantage of mobility is the ability to repeatedly send out killing moves.

“Yushika, you sure they’re not hiding anywhere?” I asked.

The harpy chief shrugged her shoulders as she chuckled. “Yep. Even the mud-scaled tribe says they don’t see anything. You sure you’re not just being too cautious? They just couldn’t run, that’s all.”

They just couldn’t run?

But why? Is it really just because they look down on us?

I’d really like something more concrete, but we can’t wait here forever. We’ve already mostly surrounded them and the path to the elves has already been cut off by the fang tribe and the long-tailed tribe. Gi Za and his horde of goblins and demihumans is also in position.

The only thing unexpected is that Nikea got herself caught. Or is that a part or her plans too?

Dodging the arrows flying toward her, Yushika threw a wooden rod wrapped in white cloth toward the centaur village. In a war between demihumans, this was the way demihumans requested for a temporary ceasefire.

After seeing that the arrows have stopped coming, Yushika flew down.

Yushika gradually approached the ground until she finally landed.

She smiled as usual at the centaurs surrounding her. “Where is Lord Daizos? Or has the centaurs fallen so low that they can’t even negotiate anymore?”

Many of the centaurs frowned at her words, clearly angry, but they let it slide. Before long the centaurs made way and Daizos approached her.

“What did you come for?” He asked.

“I’m here as a messenger,” Yushika said, bowing respectfully.

Daizos raised his brows. “Fine. I’ll hear you out.”

Entering the second biggest house in the village, Yushika gave Daizos the goblin king’s message.

The conditions the king gave could be said to be exceptional.

One, if the centaurs surrender, they must not ask for compensation for any damages incurred.

Two, they must release Nikea.

Three, they must join the united front against the humans.

Those were the three conditions the king gave, yet Daizos still refused to show agreement.

“And what about the other descendants? Hmm? The fangs, the long-tailed ones, the shells, the araneae? You realize they’re serious about this war, right?”

“Fallen ones.”

“Don’t you mean you were just too short-sighted?”

“…Perhaps.”

Daizos bitterly smiled as Yushika tried to persuade him. All this time they’ve been friends, and yet now, they were enemies. Nothing was more painful than losing a friend because of war.

Eventually, Yushika got fed up with trying to persuade Daizos and she asked.

“I know I’m stepping over a line with this one, but why? Why do you hate the goblins so much? I know you said they’re savages, but I don’t think that’s all there is to this,” Yushika said.

Daizos bitterly smiled when he saw Yushika take off that chiefly mask of hers to reveal her truer side: a friend.

“Since you’re going that far, I won’t answer you as chief anymore but as Daizos. I respect the elves. I respect their form, their extravagance aside. The goblins do not have that. I fear that if we join them, our world which has been centered around the elves for so long will crumble,” Daizos solemnly said.

He continued. “I can’t forgive that. I can’t forgive them baring their fangs on the elves who gave us the land we live on and the technology to live.”

“That’s not necessarily the case though. Humans and elves are different, after all.”

“No, they will definitely bare their fangs. Because the elves are corrupted,” Daizos seemed to be scorning himself as he said that.

Yushika was speechless.

“Despite that you’re still going to fight for them?” She asked after a pause.

“The blood of my great-grandfather who swore an oath to the elves flows in my veins. The gratitude handed down generation after generation until me, the very loyalty that permeates us will become nothing more than a lie. I can’t betray them.”

Yushika was greatly troubled by the man in front of her who was saying he would protect the elves despite knowing of their corruption. She wanted to shout at him and call him stubborn, but she wouldn’t be able to change his mind that way. Daizos has probably thought hard about this already.

“…Lord Nikea told me this awhile ago. We can still make it if we talk with the goblin king. I don’t know if you’ve noticed it, but the elves are staying in the village. They came to collect the tax. Nikea said I should talk to the goblin king to ensure their safety.”

That’s why you didn’t run. No, that’s why you couldn’t run.

“The goblins are no foreigners to negotiations,” Yushika said, pointing out the obvious flaw in his argument.

“No, that goblin will surely use the elves. It’s not greed, but for the goblin king to realize his goals, he needs as many allies he can get,” Daizos said.

And so they will lead even the elves into chaos and ruin?

Daizos continued. “The demon children of chaos, the goblins… The burden they carry is too heavy for us who once dreamed.”

Yushika felt her chest ache when she saw Daizos’ lonely smile. Gurfia was his brother. He was his pride and joy, but before he knew it, he was a ghost, who threatened the demihumans.

“…What do you intend to do about the elves?” Yushika asked.

“I will protect them. To protect them is my will as chief. But even I, as Daizos, believe that they should be protected,” Daizos said.

Yushika stared at Daizos when he pointed out those two faint yet important wills. As a demihuman, Daizos was still young. In human age, he would be in his 30s to 40s, but the position of chief carried with it much trouble.

“I’ve also thought of throwing away this weight on my shoulders many times,” Daizos smiled.

That was not the smile of a happy man, however, but the smile of a man who has resolved himself.

“But if I throw it away, I won’t be me anymore. That’s why I will fight the goblins,” he said.

Finally, Yushika realized that there was no way to persuade the man.

“You’re a fool, Daizos.” Yushika said.

“I think so too,” he said.

Silence filled the room after that, as Yushika didn’t know what to say. When Daizos finally spoke, he was back to being a chief.

“Sorry for complaining. Please forget it… Daizos’ time has ended. From here on out, I will make a decision as chief of the centaurs. Lord Yushika, I shall return Lord Nikea. Please inform the goblin king I wish to challenge him to a duel,” Daizos said.

“A duel?” Yushika asked, unable to understand.

Daizos nodded. “If I win, he must withdraws his troops posthaste. If he wins, however, the centaurs will surrender.”

“You intend to die?” Yushika asked.

“I told you before, I won’t lose to some goblin. I simply intend to minimize casualties on both sides. There is nothing more to it,” he said.

“There’s no guarantee that goblin king will accept it.”

“Then please persuade him. For the sake of protecting the demihumans, and for the sake of protecting your beloved customers.”

“…You’re selfish, you know.”

“Centaurs are like that.”

“…Where is Nikea?”

“I’ll have her brought at once.”

After Nikea arrived, Yushika walked away with her.

As they walked, Yushika passed by Daizos, uttering some last words to a friend she would no longer be seeing from today onwards.

Yushika wasn’t wearing her usual smile when she said that. Her eyes were filled with resolve as she looked at me.

“I see…”

How to deal with those? I should probably send them off, but I could also use them to negotiate with the elves. To do that though, I’ll need to ensure their safety enough to convince the demihumans.

“We can’t involve the elves in the war,” I said.

If it were only the goblins, it wouldn’t matter much, but the demihumans are with me too.

“There is no reason for Your Highness to personally go out and fight that duel,” Gi Za said. “Let me go instead. There is no reason to risk it.”

Indeed, there’s no reason to risk it. The enemy could pull something just like that time with Mido.

But he wanted a duel with me.

I can’t run away, not as king.

“As I’ve said once, I am the king. I cannot run away from these challenges. Even if it is dangerous, I can’t run. Or else how could I ever be fit to sit in my throne?”

“…I understand,” Gi Za said reluctantly.

“Bring the prisoner,” I said.

We will be releasing that young centaur we caught on the day of the duel.

“Let’s settle this quickly.”

The next day, I accepted the duel.

◆◆◇

Under the eyes of goblins and demihumans, two men stepped forward.

One was the centaur chief, the other was the goblin king. In their hands were a spear and a long sword, respectively; and serving as their referee was a member of the harpy tribe.

“This war shall be settled with this duel!”

At those words, the two men nodded. They raised their swords and swore.

“Glory and compensation to the victor!”

“Glory and peace to the defeated!”

No one disagreed to the words cried out.

“Swear to the God of Duels, Yul Basta!”

The two men knocked their weapons at she sound of that sonorous voice.

The duel had begun.

The centaur thrust his spear with all of his strength. That spear was truly capable of crushing rocks, and not even the goblin king could come out unscathed under its might, but the goblin king parried that spear and counterattacked, his sword clad in the flames of the underworld goddess. Those flames that burned in the abyss burned fiercely with the fervor of the goblin king.

The goblin king’s foot bore into the ground, then following the shortest route with the fastest speed, his sword reached for the centaur chief’s legs.

The centaur foresaw what the goblin king intended, so he dodged those flames of hell with the least movement needed and attacked again. If one thrust could not take down the goblin king, then he would thrust a second, no, a third even. And so, three times did the spear struck out, each thrust brimming with the power to wound fatally.

Still, the goblin king dodged those worthy attacks; and in that narrow opening that opened up behind them, the goblin king forced his blade in, cutting toward the arms from below. Any monster would have had its arm lopped off by that attack, but the centaur chief used its quick legs to jump back and retreat.

The two warriors separated. Inwardly, they admired each other’s skill. Unfortunately, they were enemies, and thus, there would be no greater way to show the respect they felt but to cut at each other.

The first to step forward was the goblin king. He needed to close in on the centaur quickly to negate the centaur’s advantage in reach. Ether exploded behind the goblin king’s back. At the same time, he used the resulting acceleration to quickly close in on the centaur. Suddenly, he was right before the centaur. In no time at all, his sword, clad in black flames, was swinging for the cenatur. It came swinging at a speed far beyond normal. It was so fast that any other centaur would have had its neck cut off.

To the goblin king’s surprise, what resounded next was not the sound of a decapitated head touching the ground, but the sound of clanging iron. Without even time to spare for his ears to ring, the goblin king fell to the ground. Right after, a great wind blew with the centaur’s spear as it swept toward the goblin king. That attack that could tear through flesh and crush bones cut through the empty air where the goblin king should’ve been before returning to the centaur’s hands.

The centaur attacked again, but the goblin king had already fixed his posture and was able to receive his attack.

The fight continued like that, going back and forth.

Meanwhile, while the demihuman and the king were fighting, Gi Za took his druids and moved.

After giving instructions, Gi Za ordered his men to go somewhere they can’t be seen.

When Luther of the shell-tribe saw what was happening, he called out.

“What are you doing, Lord Gi Za?” He asked.

“Preparing for war,” Gi Za replied.

“The war will end with this. Whether in victory, or in defeat,” Luther said.

Gi Za shook his head. It was far too unreasonable. “The king will win. There is no other path. But do you truly believe the centaurs would so willingly surrender? I do not! Those who refuse to put down their spears will hurt the king’s victory. To perfect the king’s victory, we, his subordinates, must move.”

The moment the king won, Gi Za and his horde would move in to capture the village. His preparations were for that. Just waiting for the centaur to surrender was a waste of luck and time.

Halfway through his speech, Luther was shocked. So much so that he wondered whether this goblin was truly the same goblin he was talking to awhile ago. On the way to the centaur village, he was so innocent, asking about their tradition, their beasts, and their skills. But now, all of that innocence was gone. In its place was a calm man with only one objective: to attain victory. Even the gaze this goblin looked at him had changed. Before it was filled with curiosity. Now, it was cold and calculating, as if in this world there were only two types of people: ally or foe.

“To increase the odds of victory even one bit more is my duty. I have no intention of becoming a retainer who is only capable of relying on the king!”

“Then what about the feelings of the centaurs? They are quietly watching this battle. They have left everything to the judgment of the God of Duels.”

Gi Za sneered and shook his head. “It is precisely because you rely on gods that you have fallen… I, no, we do not rely on gods. Our victory is solely due to our king!”

The goblins had no gods. The humans, the demihumans, even the elves might have gods, but the goblins had none. Mother Deetna had already ceased in the abyss, and Altesia, who ruled the underworld, was not their patron. So when Gi Za heard of the demihumans and the elves’ faith, he could only doubt the gods more.

From where did the goblins hail, and to where shall they go?

To live in this world without a god was to be severed from the world.

How lonely is it to live in the world without anyone to revere? Lost and forlorn children thrown out into the world alone.

But.

Fortune turned and the king appeared before them. Now, they no longer had to face that solitude alone.

Our king who is like a god.

We have no gods, but our king stands strong with us. If so, if so then… how can we devote ourselves to the king?

“Do you not fear the gods?” Luther asked with shaking voice.

Gi Za sneered. “Our god has long died. Therefore, we have no god, only a king.”

Though they couldn’t see it from where they were standing, cheers could be heard from the demihumans and the goblins surrounding the village.

If one listened closely, those cheers were celebrating the king’s victory.

I like how the duel was narrated from third person view like it wasn’t that focused and just somewhat happened because we all know the result anyway. It gave me some distant and lonely feeling on how Daizos live would be in vain resolved to die in that death.

I agree, most likely that Elf Lord will not even appreciate his sacrifice, but I’m looking foreword to him begging for his life on his knees, and I think we all know that he’ll insult the King so harshly he won’t survive, but his assistant will.

In the end daizos wasn’t a good chief, his devotion was extraordinary but he choose to sacrifice his people in the threats of humans and goblins for the sake of protecting the preconception of a race that did not show any respect toward his kind and that he knew that they where corrupt.